“Steve is a man of strong character and sound judgment, and I have no doubt that he will be an effective voice for our community,” Straus said in a statement.

Allison, a business attorney who recently served on the VIA board, has also served as president of the Alamo Heights School Board. He said he was proud to draw Straus’ support.

“This area has supported Joe strongly, and he has supported us strongly. Joe did an excellent job and his work has benefited our area greatly,” Allison said in a statement.

Beebe finished first in the six-way March 6 primary, drawing 29.6 percent to Allison’s 26.3. Beebe drew 37.1 and 38.8 percent of the vote against Straus during unsuccessful primary challenges in 2012 and 2014, respectively.

Beebe said he had not been counting on Straus’ support and, mentioning his March 6 first-place finish, predicted a win in May.

“Whether it’s his views on the 2nd Amendment, his unwillingness to enable parents to have meaningful options for their children’s education, or his refusal to pledge support for the Republican caucus choice for House speaker, voters are increasingly realizing Steve Allison is out of touch with their values,” Beebe said in a statement.

Unlike Allison, Beebe supports the so-called “bathroom bill,” which Straus opposed in the last legislative session.

Attorney Marc Whyte, who finished fifth with 12.3 percent, also has endorsed Allison. Whyte and Allison generally received their strongest support in the same areas of the district, particularly around Alamo Heights, Terrell Hills and Olmos Park.

The district covers those three cities on the southern end and stretches north almost to the JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort & Spa.

Straus has represented District 121 since 2005 and was elected speaker of the Texas House in 2009.

Jasper covers City Hall, local politics and breaking news for the Houston Chronicle through the Hearst Journalism Fellowship program. He previously covered Bexar County and local politics for the San Antonio Express-News. Jasper graduated from Northwestern University in 2017 with degrees in journalism and political science. He has interned for the Tampa Bay Times, Washington Post and Fortune magazine.